Waxing Irons

I'm about to start waxing my skis at home (which is long overdue). I can use an old clothes iron, but I would rather not. I was thinking of spending about $50 or so for a good waxing iron, like www.reliableracing.com/detail.cfm?edp=10856177 or www.reliableracing.com/detail.cfm?edp=11217585 . I don't want to spend hundreds of dollars on a premium iron, unless it really makes sense. All my skis have patterns (i. e. waxless) so I would probably only use one kind of wax. Any suggestions or preferences between those two?

Rossb,

I have the Swix one...works like a charm.

I have been waxing since I was in high school in the early 90s. Used the standard household iron for MANY years....

This little Swix model is cleaner and you can adjust it to any temp as necessary.

Your next step is to hook up a good bench/wax station in the garage. Post pics.

Ed

Yeah, setting a good waxing station will be the tricky part. I only have a car port, not a garage. It has a roof and is closed in on two sides, with a gap between one of the sides and the house. I will basically move the car out, set it up close to the corner and have at it. I don't know if it will matter if it is cold where I wax.

I have the Swix one as well, but I wouldn't be surprised if the Wintersteiger one uses the same internals and is made in the same factory in China . . . thriftshop irons, esp. if you can find an old one without steam holes, work fine as long as you can pinpoint the temperature (have a spot IR thermometer?) at around 140-145 C.

Edited to add: As Randy notes below, it's easy to go too hot with a thriftstore iron - mine is "pre-cotton blends" and I normally use it at the very bottom of the "wool" setting . . .

I have this iron
www.reliableracing.com/detail.cfm?edp=11222494

it works great -- but I'm sure the cheaper ones work fine as well.

Using an old clothes iron -- even with holes it isn't so bad -- you can get one dirt cheap at value village.   The limitation of clothes irons are that the base plate is thinner, so there is more temperature variation between when heating element is on and when it is off.   The biggest mistake folks make with a clothes iron is having the heat too hot.

here is a handy chart -- the "Cotton Blends" is as high a setting you should use -- if the wax smokes -- it is way too hot!

Setting	Temperature °C
Acrylic	107
Nylon/Silk	121
Rayon	132
Cotton Blends	149
Wool	166
Cotton 100%	193
Linen	204

$5 Goodwill iron. I use it on the nearly-lowest setting.
Piece of scrap 1/4" ABS with factory edge as scraper.

$5.50 (including 50c for the Governor)

Love it,